Are the principles of American Democracy headed for the dustbin of history

[The Lone Liberal]

From the beginning the American experiment in self-government and personal freedoms has never been fully realized. Even so, it has always been in the forefront of the American citizen’s aspirations. Those expressed ideals were always a goal that we as a society used as a driving force in our social activities. When we went to war it was to further the spread of those principals. When we took collective actions it was to realize those goals. Today, it would seem as if those ideals of self-government and personal freedoms are being shoved into the back row and the door is being held open to push them all the way out of our political life.

Case in point. This morning on Fox News the talking heads were pontificating on North Korea and how the Bush administration was dealing with that crisis. The thing that caught my attention was that the Fox pundits seemed to be focused on Bush’s drive to install a “free market economy” in North Korea and there was no mention of a goal to establish a government with American democratic principles. Since when has “free market economy” and democratic principles become synonymous? At the core the two concepts are almost mutually exclusive. “Free market economy” is absolute freedom with unleashed predatory practices. While the democratic principles we build this country on is a guaranteed freedom, that is we as a people have stated that the government will guarantee that the weak shall not be preyed upon by the strong. This has always been only paritally enforced, but it was something we at least said we desired.

Just a rant for this Wednesday.

[DannyRed]

1. The principles of American Democracy...

Have been in the Dustbin of History since the Sedition Acts were passed in the Early 1800s.

The US government has NEVER lived up to its constitution, and even LESS so for the Declaration.

[The Lone Liberal]

2. The thing that is bothering me this morning

Is that we have finally now even given up the pretense that these are worthy goals.

[tom_paine]

4. You are right, though the outcome is still in doubt

I think it is somewhat axiomatic that a society which ceases to strive to be "a more perfect union" and/or to make the world a better place for their progeny, immediately reverts backwards. It is entropy, in it's own way.

And you never hear anyone talking about making the world a better place for our progeny. Is it because those voices have been largely "edited out" of the Natrional Dialogue/Corporate TV Pravda?

Or is it because the track we are on is so obvious, that people can't bring themselves to say it? I don't know, but it is very easy to see, from this vantage point, that, for all except the top 20% (and maybe not even a part of that group), things are going to very much worse.

In either case, the outcome is not yet decided.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. With this crooked crew, the bottom line is always....

...the bottom line. It is about making themselves and their cronies all the more wealthy.

Busholini has no "principles", at least not in the way that you or I define them. What did the Faux pundits say about how the misleader intends to go about building a free market economy in NK? And will we have as much success there as we are having in Iraq? Perhaps the even better question is when does the bombing begin?

[Loonman]

5. Possibly

[rman]

6. it is in the dustbin already

maybe there will be an opportunity to restore it.

[izzie]

7. Easier on paper than in real life.

Did not Mark have the same problem? All things being equal nothin is equal.